When All is Said and Done
by TheMoonclaw
Summary: "After all that has happened, when everything is said and done I…didn't expect that my status in the world would be altered so drastically. I didn't expect to be so well known." - pointless fluff warning. Read at your own risk.


**Heeeeey everyone! Before you read this, beware the following warnings; random warning because this story really has no point, post...post...post...post? warning because I time skipped sort of far ahead...**

**Also, this contains fluff and somewhat racy-ish things...which are plot bunnies caused by talking to Mythweaver, I am fully convinced...**

**Also, if you don't like my characters or random fluffy pointless one-shots, then do us all a favor and don't read them.**

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Cuore sighed as she slipped the silk gown on, thankful that, for all of its grandeur and trappings, the smooth fabric at least felt nice. There was a weight to the dress, something she wasn't used too, and she sighed again as she pulled it around her body.

She quickly realized she would be unable to lace the back herself and she closed her eyes briefly, annoyed by the fact she couldn't even get dressed without help.

She avoided looking in the mirror and was about to go in search of help when she heard footsteps approaching.

Cuore glanced over her shoulder as her husband wandered into the room, fussing with the silver trim on his sleeve and frowning. He was, as always, in black, but that was nothing new, and the color at least matched his hair.

"Remind me again what this party is for?" Kieran asked, already sounding bored.

Cuore used one arm to keep the dress on her form and the other hand to drag the skirt up so she could turn, commenting, "Anniversary party,"

"Right," Kieran said, rolling his eyes. "Except that their real anniversary was four months ago,"

"But Rosa doesn't know that," she pointed out.

He gave her a once over, "Are you…having difficulties?"

Cuore frowned at him and the amused expression he was trying to hide, not at all appreciative of his attitude. "As a matter of fact, yes, I am. There's ties on the back…"

He made a turning gesture and chuckled, "Here, I'll help."

She rolled her eyes, facing away from him but nevertheless making a remark as she did; "I doubt your skills in this case, since you are wearing something infinitely less impressive then I am."

Even though she couldn't see his expression, she somehow knew he was making a face at the back of the dress with its complex lacings and fastens.

"Crystals, what in the world…" he muttered, tugging on part of it.

Cuore rolled her eyes, "The Eidolons,"

Kieran snorted and tugged some more, "Not to insult any of them or you, but I wish you would stop having them make you clothes. Remember your wedding dress?"

"And the hour it took to get it off? Yes." she replied distractedly, picking at the beading on the bodice.

He chuckled, "I seem to recall you suggested we cut it off…"

"I still contend it would have been more efficient," she answered.

"It's a wonder they even make clothes. I've seen how they dress," he commented, continuing to criss-cross the ribbons.

Cuore caught her reflection in the full length mirror nearby and averted her gaze, trying not to fidget as Kieran finished tying her into her dress.

She let herself get distracted by the occasional brush of fingers against her bare back, closing her eyes and trying not to think about the upcoming event. An event where she would be the center of attention even though the party wasn't for her, where she would have to smile and be social and pretend that everything in the world was perfect now that the latest threat had passed.

"Okay," Kieran said, breaking her out of her thoughts, "It's…at least on. I can't promise you it's correct, but at least it won't fall off,"

Cuore nodded and sighed, "I still need to work on my hair…"

"Why?" he said, running his fingers through it.

"Because," she complained, unable to move when it was tangled in his hands.

She heard him sigh and felt his hands gently slide down her neck to rest on her shoulders. He was preventing her from turning around so she just dropped her arms to her side, giving up on arguing with him.

"Hey, what's wrong? You seem…" he hesitated and finally finished with a less elegant set of words then she would have. "You seem pissed off."

She sighed and let her eyes study the floor, thinking of how best to explain what was bothering her. Instead, he spoke up again sounding slightly worried, "Is it…me?"

Cuore blinked and pulled herself out of his grip to turn around, fixing a puzzled and concerned look on him. "What? No, of course it's not you."

She was surprised by how relieved he looked and he shrugged, "I had to ask, though I'm glad the answer wasn't yes…"

Cuore sighed and looked away, "I'm finding it…challenging to be so…renowned…"

Kieran gave her a strange look and she elaborated, "After all that has happened, when everything is said and done I…didn't expect that my status in the world would be altered so drastically. I didn't expect to be so well known."

Now he looked amused, "Are you having trouble with our acquired fame?"

Cuore rolled her eyes, "I know what happened during the war, and now that it's been almost two years, with the airships and the tower and-"

She never got to finish because Kieran kissed her, returning his hands to rest on the tops of her shoulders.

"Cuore, just because people know our names doesn't mean anything," he murmured. "So, we're a little famous. We've done plenty, of course people know who we are."

"But they act so…" she trailed off, unsure how to voice what she thought. "I wished to be normal, once, not more of an outcast!"

He chuckled and she frowned at him, not amused. "Kieran, I'm serious. I don't want the world to see me as some…idol. I just…I want to spend time with my family, with you. I want to start a normal life…"

Kieran nuzzled her neck, speaking in between kisses and slowly working his hands to her back once more. "Cuore, you're going to have to live with a little celebrity; we saved the world, after all. But maybe you and I should go somewhere for a while, just the two of us…"

She grinned, tilting her head to catch his eye, trying to ignore the kisses on her bare skin, "You owe me a honeymoon,"

"You're the one who said we had too much work to do to take one!" he retorted, frowning at her.

Cuore giggled and rested her hands on his chest, "I changed my mind,"

He rolled his eyes and she grinned again, "Now, I need to do my hair."

Kieran looked unhappy, "I think you should leave it down…you know I like your hair,"

She smiled slightly at the comment and averted her gaze, flushing when he made another remark and kissed her lips this time. "You look lovely, by the way,"

"It's the dress," she murmured when he pulled back.

It was his turn to tip his head and he looked at her with an amused expression, "No, I think it's _you_,"

She laughed nervously and was so sidetracked and agitated that she let him walk her back a few steps and kiss her senseless. It was she, however, that pulled him closer and leaned back against one of the walls in the room.

Cuore ran her hands up his arms, combed her fingers through his hair, tried her best to kiss _him_ senseless, all the while resisting the temptation to take his jacket off.

It only they didn't have this party to go too…

"We're going to be late," she pointed out breathlessly.

He shrugged the only shoulder he could and whispered against her lips, "Put another demerit on my file,"

Cuore smiled into the next set of kisses, though she pulled away when she felt him tug on the lacings on her dress. She licked her lips and leaned back enough to put some distance between them for a moment.

"Don't, not after all the trouble it took to get it _on_," she mentioned.

Kieran smirked at her, "Clothing is always easier to get _off_, though,"

Cuore swatted him across the shoulder with a single chuckle, wriggling to extricate herself from his arms. It proved to be harder then she thought, especially when he was reluctant to let go of her.

"We could feign illness and not go to this party," he suggested hopefully.

She pinned him with a look, "We missed their wedding, we can't miss their first anniversary party too,"

"Sure we can, it's really easy," he muttered, kissing her again.

Cuore giggled and gave him a shove, trying to put on a firm tone of voice and ignore the pattern he was tracing on her shoulder with his fingers.

"We are going, and we shall demand attention of our famous selves, and probably have people throw themselves at our feet because of our greatness."

Kieran sighed, relaxing his arms enough that she slipped out and stood up straight, trying to tug her clothing back into place without wrinkles. "Great," he commented, "just so long as everyone knows your mine,"

Cuore tossed him a look, "No one thinks otherwise,"

"Good, because I'll punch them in the face…"

She sighed and looped her arm through his, "Cheer up, tonight I need help getting this dress back off, you know."

"Yes, but first we have to go to this stupid party," he complained, letting her drag him out the door.

"We'll be famous outcasts together, Kieran, just like old times." Cuore assured him, flashing him a smile.

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**Moonclaw, why did you write this?**

**Dunno.**

**Anyway, in the timeline this would take place after the fic that takes place after Shards of History...it's a post-post-post-post-post game story...see how that works? I never really planned to write anything past a certain point but then I had THIS idea and it was bugging me so I wrote it, surprising myself I would write something *gasp* racy! (My version of racy, you see...)**

**So yes, Cuore and Kieran are married, no, I kept spoilers out on purpose so no one would know what was coming (besides that,) and no, I won't tell you if you ask me.**


End file.
